Got an insatiable need to dine on hardcore, thugged out, rowdy hip-hop?
Do you crave to have big beats and fat flows fed into your ear? Lloyd
Banks certainly hopes so. 50 Cent first introduced us to his friends Banks
and Tony Yayo as the "G-Unit," though a series of well received mixtapes
that spread far and wide beyond their New York origin. Though these tapes
were largely designed to showcase 50 and succeeded in getting him his
first deal since being dropped by Trackmasters/Columbia in 1999, 50's
G-Unit homies were far from left behind. Banks and Yayo were both
featured on 50's "Get Rich or Die
Tryin'" along with G-Unit's latest recruit, Young Buck. Thanks to
50's overwhelming popularity, it was only a matter of time before G-Unit
got their own album, and late in 2003 "Beg for Mercy" was the result. Unfortunately Yayo was largely
absent due to a prison bid, but Buck held it down for him in his absence.

To the surprise of almost no one, G-Unit's album was very well received,
and the rappers who had at times been thought of as just "friends of 50 Cent"
emerged as stars in their own right. 50 Cent had whetted the public's
appetite for G-Unit, and in turn G-Unit had whetted the public's appetite
for solo albums by Lloyd Banks and Young Buck (and undoubtedly Yayo too,
when the time is right). Based on the crossover success of G-Unit's song
"Smile," a solo track starring Banks, it only seemed natural that he would
be the first out the gate. After months of anticipation, after teasing
the public with appetizers like "Warrior" and "On Fire," the time has
finally come for the main course. "The Hunger for More" not only describes
the hustler attitude Banks embodies in his lyrics, but the attitude of
a worldwide audience who can't get enough of his gruff voice.

When it comes to passing a buck down the food chain, there are always
going to be skeptics. Critics and buyers alike are suspicious when any
rapper gets put on as a guest on someone's album, only to have their own
album a few years later. Banks has paid his dues, but if the solo album
isn't as good as his prior work fans will be feeling like they got left
holding the check. The first taste test is of course the beats. If
they've got flavor, they'll be gravy to go along with the rhymes, making
each line more savory. For the most part, the music on "The Hunger for
More" is pure butter. Hi-Tek checks in on "I Get High," Timbaland
gives Banks bounce on "I'm So Fly" and Scram Jones produces a boombastic
beat to ensure Banks and Young Buck "Work Magic" together. These songs
come not only back to back, but immediately following Banks two hits
"Warrior" and "On Fire." Let there be no doubt about it, other than
a brief drop-off on the mediocre "Playboy," the first seven songs of
the album keep you craving more and more of what Banks has in store.

Fortunately for Banks the music on the second half holds up almost as
well as the first, ensuring we get free refills with our meal and a nice
big dessert at the end. Chad Beat and Sha Money XL's "If You So Gangsta"
has pounding pianos that leave the song sounding lifted straight off
50 Cent's "Get Rich." The Eminem produced "Warrior Part 2" immediately
follows, with rap's most controversial white boy kicking a verse and
Nate Dogg providing guest vocals. The silky smooth "Karma" will
definitely be a future single off this album, no doubt backed by Baby
Grand's soulful and Kanye-like "Die One Day" - or vice versa. Eminem
and Nate Dogg show up again on the haunting "Til the End." The music
winds down with Banks crooning to a multi-layered Diaz Brothers
guitar-tinged track on "South Side Story," although Banks does check in
with a Tone Capone produced bonus track, "Just Another Day."

As for the lyrics, 50 Cent and G-Unit fans will find them to be no
surprise. For those being introduced to Banks for the first time, they
will find he's unapologetically gangsta, yet tempers that lyrically with
humor, introspection, and at times a surprisingly upbeat outlook on life.
"Warrior" exemplifies how supremely confident the husky voiced Banks is
in not only achieving success in the rap world, but in clearing out any
and all obstacles in his way:

"I'm on the move, smooth, with one eye out for the snakes
Who can't stand hearin your name all throughout the states
Tune into BET and watchin your video
Pretending to be your friends but the smart ones really know, so
If that's your man warn him
Cause there's enough bullets in here to hit every NBA patch on him
Nigga ride 'til I die the song I sing
You ain't ready for the war I bring
You ain't gonna do a God damn thing
And I ain't ever scared I'm a warrior!"

Banks is not afraid to show that there's a price to pay for a gangster's
lifestyle though. "Til the End" paints a portrait of a world in which random
violence causes senseless tragedy, and certainly goes out of it's way to
make sure that the hood is not being glorified. People accuse rappers of
selling out when they leave the ghetto and buy a nice home somewhere, but
wouldn't you too if this is what life around the way had to offer? Peep it:

"Nobody there knew they would die before they woke
They probably started off a beautiful day with weed smoke
Out of last night's pussy, the murder that she wrote
Cold sweatin from a nightmare, mind on a C-note
You leave the door with intentions of fulfillin your visions
Constantly sidetracked, thinkin bout who's your man or who isn't
Maybe it's necessary - maybe you're overreactin
Maybe your actual downfall is that ho that you're clappin
Maybe your pillow conversations been controllin the actions
Maybe your homey overheard and never told you what happened
You look behind you when you turn the corner, cause death is promised
You done seen some niggaz go before ya, the threats are honest
And with that lingerin in the back of your head
You know it's possible that you won't make it back in your bed
The confusion and jealousy and dishonor'll spin ya
But then none come worse than when that gunpowder's in ya"

Banks had a lot of opportunity to miss the mark and fail, giving the
public a meal of fast fries and cheeseburgers that would have cured hunger
only briefly but ultimately not be good for anyone. Instead with "The
Hunger for More" Banks has clearly been crafting this solo debut for a
while now, not rushing it in any way or serving up sloppy seconds. The
taste is like a T-bone steak, grilled to perfection and served with all
of the right side dishes. Listening to the whole album leaves you feeling
filled, but definitely wanting to repeat the whole experience again and
taste more of what Banks has to offer. While it's not better than 50's
national debut or G-Unit's album, it's certainly no worse. Banks shows
that the popularity of "Smile" and "On Fire" was no fluke - he really
does have the tools necessary to serve up a fine plate of rap music.